Implantable pump for drug delivery to treat erectile dysfunction

Abstract

An implantable pump ( 10 ) is provided for pumping a drug in a patient's body ( 100 ). The pump includes a drug delivery chamber ( 22 ) configured to be filled with the drug and a drug delivery catheter ( 50 ) having a catheter lumen ( 58 ) and a distal end ( 56 ), the drug delivery catheter in fluid communication with the drug delivery chamber and configured to deliver the drug to a delivery site ( 102 ). It also includes a pushing element ( 44 ) coupled to the distal end of the catheter, and configured to push away from the catheter lumen fibrotic matter that has developed in response to the drug delivery catheter. Other embodiments are also described.

1. An implantable pump for pumping a drug in a patient's body, comprising:
 a drug delivery chamber configured to be filled with the drug; 
 a drug delivery catheter having a catheter lumen and a distal end, the drug delivery catheter in fluid communication with the drug delivery chamber and configured to deliver the drug to a delivery site; and 
 a pushing element coupled to the distal end of the catheter, and configured to push away from the catheter lumen fibrotic matter that has developed in response to the drug delivery catheter. 
 
     
     
       2. The pump according to  claim 1 , wherein the pushing element is configured to prevent ingrowth of fibrotic matter to the catheter lumen by occluding a distal end of the catheter lumen when the pushing element is not pushing away fibrotic matter. 
     
     
       3. The pump according to  claim 1 , wherein the delivery site includes a site of a penis of the patient and the pump is configured to deliver the drug to the site of the penis of the patient. 
     
     
       4. The pump according to  claim 3 , wherein the delivery site includes a site of a corpus cavernosum of the patient and the pump is configured to deliver the drug to the site of the corpus cavernosum of the patient. 
     
     
       5. The pump according to  claim 3 , wherein the drug includes a vasoactive agent and the pump is configured to deliver the vasoactive agent to the site of the penis of the patient. 
     
     
       6. The pump according to  claim 1 , comprising a drug storage chamber in fluid communication with the drug delivery chamber and configured to store the drug. 
     
     
       7. The pump according to  claim 6 , wherein the drug storage chamber is configured to expand during filling thereof with the drug. 
     
     
       8. The pump according to  claim 6 , comprising a check valve configured to withhold a flow of the drug from the drug storage chamber to the drug delivery chamber responsively to a pressure difference between the drug storage chamber and the drug delivery chamber. 
     
     
       9. The pump according to  claim 6 , comprising a needle, wherein the drug storage chamber comprises a penetrable membrane, configured to be penetrated by the needle to facilitate delivery of the drug to the drug storage chamber while the drug storage chamber is within the patient. 
     
     
       10. The pump according to  claim 1 , comprising an input device, configured to receive an input and, in response thereto, initiate delivery of a bolus of the drug from the drug delivery chamber through the catheter lumen to the delivery site. 
     
     
       11. The pump according to  claim 10 , wherein the pushing element is configured to push away the fibrotic matter each time that the input device receives the input. 
     
     
       12. The pump according to  claim 11 , wherein the input includes an input from the patient and wherein the input device is configured to receive the input from the patient. 
     
     
       13. The pump according to  11 , wherein the input device comprises a push button. 
     
     
       14. A method for operating an implantable drug pump implanted in a patient's body, comprising:
 initiating delivery of a bolus of a drug to a delivery site within the patient's body, via a catheter; and 
 pushing away, using a pushing element coupled to the distal end of the catheter, fibrotic matter that has developed in response to the drug pump. 
 
     
     
       15. The method according to  claim 14 , wherein pushing away the fibrotic matter comprises pushing away the fibrotic matter each time the delivery of the bolus of the drug is initiated. 
     
     
       16. The method according to  claim 14 , comprising preventing ingrowth of fibrotic matter to a lumen of the pump, by occluding the lumen of the pump when the bolus of the drug is not being delivered. 
     
     
       17. The method according to  claim 14 , wherein the delivery site includes a site of a penis of the patient, and wherein initiating the delivery of the bolus of the drug comprises initiating the delivery of the bolus of the drug to the site of the penis of the patient. 
     
     
       18. The method according to  claim 17 , wherein the delivery site includes a site of a corpus cavernosum of the patient, and wherein initiating the delivery of the bolus of the drug comprises initiating the delivery of the bolus of the drug to the site of the corpus cavernosum of the patient. 
     
     
       19. The method according to  claim 17 , wherein the drug includes a vasoactive agent, and wherein initiating the delivery of the bolus of the drug to the site of the penis of the patient comprises initiating the delivery of a bolus of the vasoactive agent to the site of the penis of the patient. 
     
     
       20. The method according to  claim 14 , comprising filling the drug pump with the drug while the drug pump is within the patient. 
     
     
       21. The method according to  claim 20 , wherein filling the drug pump with the drug comprises injecting the drug into the pump. 
     
     
       22. The method according to  claim 14 , wherein initiating delivery of the bolus of the drug comprises receiving an input and initiating delivery of the bolus of the drug in response thereto. 
     
     
       23. The method according to  claim 22 , wherein pushing away the fibrotic matter comprises receiving the input and pushing away the fibrotic matter in response thereto, at the same time as the delivery of the bolus of the drug is initiated. 
     
     
       24. The method according to  claim 23 , wherein receiving the input comprises receiving an input from the patient. 
     
     
       25. The method according to  claim 23 , wherein receiving the input comprises receiving an input via a push-button. 
     
     
       26. An implantable drug pump for implantation in a patient's body comprising:
 a drug delivery chamber adapted to be filled with a drug to be delivered to a drug delivery site in the patient's body; 
 a drug delivery catheter having a catheter lumen and extending from the drug delivery chamber to a delivery catheter distal end that is adapted to be disposed in the patient's body and that is prone to fibrin buildup; 
 means for initiating delivery of a bolus of the drug from the drug delivery chamber through the catheter lumen to the delivery site; and 
 means for pushing, coupled to the delivery catheter distal end, and configured to push a fibrin buildup away from the delivery catheter distal end. 
 
     
     
       27. A method of operating an implantable drug pump of the type comprising a drug delivery chamber and a drug delivery catheter having a catheter lumen and extending from the drug delivery chamber to a delivery catheter distal end that is adapted to be disposed in a patient's body and that is prone to fibrin buildup when implanted in the patient's body, the method comprising:
 filling the drug delivery chamber with a drug to be delivered to a drug delivery site in the patient's body; 
 initiating delivery of a bolus of the drug from the drug delivery chamber through the catheter lumen to the delivery site; and 
 pushing a fibrin buildup away from the delivery catheter distal end, using a pushing element coupled to the delivery catheter distal end.